Washing-machine



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A. 0. HUBB'ARD. WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. ZI, I9I7.

Patented oet. 5,1920.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

Application iiled March 21, 1917. -Slerial No. 156,319.

T 0 all w hom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR O. I-IUBBARD, a citizen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lWashing-Machines, of which the following is a speciiication.

The object of my invention is to provide a washing machine having means for forcing air and water through the garments to thoroughly cleanse them. i

further object is to provide a mechanism in connection withthe reciprocating pounder which will permit its stroketo be automatically varied to compensate for the varying bulk of the clothes in the tub and thereby avoid danger of breaking the mechanism, overloading the motor or burning out the fuse.

A further object is to provide a washing machine of simple, compact construction, in which clothes can ybe rapidly washed without undue consumption of power.

The invention consists generally invarious constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a washing machine embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same,

3 is a partial side view, showing the pounder removed from the tub,

Fig.y 4L is a plan sectional view of the machine on line 4 4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4a is a detail view, showing the manner of mounting` the yoke on the tub and connecting it with the pounder rod.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views.

In the drawing, 2 represents a frame, having supporting legs 3 and rails i between said legs, whereon the operating mechanism of the washing machine is mounted. The frame, legs and rails are all preferably made of angle bar material and the legs have suitable wheels 5 for convenience kin moving the' machine from place to place. On one end of the frame is la tub v(i of any suitable construction, Vhaving a cover composed of a section 7 hinged at 8 to a stationary section 9 and a loose section 7 which completes the closing of the top of the tub. The cover section 7 is adapted to swing upwardly to allowV access to the tub for the purpose of inserting or removing .of the cones, as indicated, forming openings 16 through which air and water may Vflow in the operation of the pounder.

The openings are so arranged that on the downward stroke of the pounder air may escape while a pressure is created on the clothes and on the up-stroke a suction will be created under the pounder. This will have the effect of forcing both air and waterV through the clothes. The cones, as shown, are of varying size, the larger one covering a considerable 4portion of the interior of the tub and coming in contact therefore with practically the entire surface of the clothes in the tub. These cones, as shown, are all removably attached to the lower end of the spindle, which preferably is made of steel.

I prefer to provide a wooden deck 17 on which the tub is supported, while allV the gearing and driving mechanism are mounted in the frame beneath the deck.

The spindle 11 has a clamp 18 mounted on its upper end and comprising a stationary 19 and a pivoted jaw 20having opposing recesses 20 therein to receive a yoke 21. The jaws are held in their clamping position by means of a pivoted screw 22 having a finger operated wheel 22 thereon. When the jaws 19 and 2O are separated, the head can be removed from the yoke and with it the spindle and pounder cones.

I also prefer to provide an arm 21 pivoted at 21 and adapted to swing horizontally and having a downwardly turned end for engaging a block 7 on the cover 7 for locking said cover against premature upward movement. This arm may be swung to one side whenever desired to allow the cover to'be raised to expose the contents of the tub.

When the arm 21 is swung away from its locking position over the tub, it will form a rest for the cover section 7, as shown in Fig. 3.

The cover 7 has recesses 23 for the arms of the yoke to form guides therefor, and the of the machinel frame and having bearings in the upper ends of the links 25 which are pivoted at their lower ends to bars 26 which are in turn pivoted at 27 to the legs 3 of e the washing machine frame.

On each side of themachine are levers 28 pivotally connected iat one end lto the rod 24. The opposite ends of the levers are mounted on a rod 30 which Vis yieldingly held by helical springs 31 carried by bars 33 having vertical slots 32 in which the ends of the rod 30 are slidable. rIhe middle portions of the levers 28 are connected by links 34 with the cranks of a crank shaft 35 mounted transversely in the machine frame beneath the levers. A gear 36 is loosely mounted on this crank shaft and meshes with a pinion 37 on a shaft 38 which is driven through a belt 39 from a suitable source of power, such as anelectricmotor 40, suitably supported beneath the tub' platform. A sprocket 41 is mounted. on the shaft 35 and drives a shaft ,l2-through a chain 43, said shaft 42 having a beveled pinion 44 thereon meshing with the gear of a shaft within a tube 45 from which the rolls of the /wringer 46 are driven. This manner of mounting the wringer and driving the same forms the subject matter of a companion application of even date herewith, Serial No. 156,320, and I make no claim to the same in this case.v Y

lW hen the crank shaft isr revolved, the

i levers will be raised and lowered to impart a reciprocating movement to the yoke 21v and raise Vand lower the pounder to operate on the clothes, the springs 31 yielding to allow the downward stroke ofthe pounder to be shortened in case there should be an accumulation of clothes under the Vcones'of too great bulk to allow the free, complete stroke of the pounder. I regard this means for automatically regulating the stroke of the pounder according to the bulk of the clothes as an important-feature of my invention. for thereby breakage of the mechanism and danger of overloading the motor or burning out the fuse is prevented.l i

The gear 41 has a clutch connection at 47 with the hub of the gear 36 and a similar clutch member 48 is provided at the opposite end of the hub, the clutch member 48 being splined on the shaft 35. Arms 49 and 5() Y are mounted respectively on rods 51 and 52,

Yand said arms and the clutch members 47 and 48 are normally held in their clutching position by the tension of a spring 53.v y The `rods 5 1 and 52 are slidable'transversely in Y guides on the machine frame, and a link 54 y has bearings in the machine frame and is connected with the rod 52 and has an operating handle 57 adjacent to the handle 57, so that the attendant, by rotating either one of these cranks, can shift the clutch members and drive the pounder operating mechanism and wringer simultaneously, or either one of these mechanisms independently of the other.

stead of following the are described by the ends of the levers 28. The pounder spindle 11 will, therefore, move in a direction corresponding to that of the yoke and parallel therewith, and all lateral pressure on the yoke and the pounder spindle, and cramping or binding of these members in their bearings, will be entirely eliminated. When the yoke is disengaged from the notches in the cover, it may be swung to the position indicated `in Fig. 3, where the pounder may be inverted and access conveniently had to the tub 6 and. the clothes therein. At this Vtime the wringer may be swung on the parallel Y rods 59 from the position shown inFig. 2

to that illustrated in Fig., 3, and from the tub 60 to the tub- 6. When the tub 6 has been emptied of its clothes, the wringer may be swung back to its former 'position and the'clothes passed therethrough to a basket, (not shown) placed upon a suitable supporting shelf 61.

I claim as my invention: Y

1:. The combination, with a washing machine tub and clothes pounder and a spindle therefor, of a yoke mounted to straddle said tub and having its middle portion connected with said spindle. a cover for said tub, guides in which said yoke is mounted to move vertically, means pivotally connected with the arms of said yoke for raisspindle therefor, of la yoke arranged to straddle said tub and having means for connection with said spindle, a shaft connected with the ends of said yoke, guide links for said shaft, and means for reciprocating said yoke and spindle.

AThe combination, with a washing machine tub and clothes pounder and a spindle therefor, of ay yoke mounted to straddle said tub and having its middle portion connected with said spindle, a cover for said tub, guides in which said yoke is mounted to move vertically, means pivotally connected with the arms of said yoke for raising and lowering it said cover when raised allowing said yoke to be swung to one side of the tub, and guide links pivotally connected with the lower portion of said yoke.

41:. The combination, with a washing machine tub and clothespounder and spindle therefor, of ayoke mounted to straddle said tub and having its middle portion connected with said spindle, a hinged cover for said tub, guides in which said yoke is vertically movable when said cover is closed, said yoke being free to swing to one side of the tub when the cover is raised, and means for zising and lowering said yoke and spin- 5. ln a washing machine a clothes pounder and spindle therefor, a yoke mounted to straddle the tub and connected with said spindle, levers pivotally connected at one end to the ends of said yoke, a crank shaft having pivotal connections with the middle portions of said levers, means for operating said crank shafts and means yieldingly connected with the other ends of said levers to compensate for the varying resistance of the clothes.

6. In a washing machine a pounder and spindle, a yoke connected with said spindle and mounted to straddle the tub and having a vertically reciprocating movement thereon, levers pivotally connected at one end to said yoke, a crank shaft having a pivotal connection with said levers for operating them simultaneously to raise and lower said yoke, means for operating said crank shaft, a sliding rod whereon the other ends of said levers are mounted and means for yieldingly resisting downward movement of said rod to allow variation in the stroke of said yoke and pounder, for the purpose specified.

` 7. The combination, with a washing machine tub and clothes pounder and a spindle therefor, of a yoke bent to a substantially U-shape and having its end portions extending down on each side of the tub and its middle portion connected with said spindle, the ends of said yoke being pivotally supported, a coverl for said tub having guides for directing said yoke vertically, means for reciprocating said yoke and said guides permitting said yoke to be swung on its pivots to a position at one side of the tub when said cover is open.

8. The combination, with a washing machine tub and clothes pounder and spindle therefor, of a yoke substantially U-shape having its end portions extending down on each side of the tub and its middle portion connected with said spindle, a cover having means engaging the depending ends of said yoke for guiding it vertically when the cover is closed and allowing said yoke to swing to one side when the cover is.open, and means connected with said yoke for reciprocating it to elevate or depress said pounder.

9. The combination, with a washing machine tub and a spindle mounted thereon, of a crank shaft and operating means therefor, levers having means for connection with said spindle, links pivotally connecting said levers with said crankshaft, and means for yieldingly resisting movement of said levers.

10. In a washing machine, a pounder and spindle, a crank shaft and operating means therefor, levers pivotally connected intermediate to their ends lwith said crank shaft, means connecting one end of said levers with said spindle, guide links pivotally `connected with said levers and means for yieldingly resisting movement of said levers.y

11. rlhe combination, with a washing machine tub and a reciprocating pounder and spindle therefor, of a yoke arranged to straddle said tub and having means for con nection with said spindle, a crank shaft, levers pivotally connected intermediate of their ends with said crank shaft, one end of said levers having a pivotal connection with said yoke, a rod mounted in the opposite end of said levers, vertical guides for said rod and springs for yieldingly resisting movement of said rod in one direction in said guides.

12. The combination, with a washing machine tub and clothes pounder and spindle therefor, of a yoke arranged to straddle the tub and having its middle portion connected with said spindle, said yoke having its downwardly turned ends depending on each side of the tub, a cover for the tub, guides for the vertical movement of said depending ends and means connected with the depending ends of said yoke for reciprocating it to elevate or depress said pounder.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of March 1917.

ARTHUR O. HUBBARD. 

